Display layout unit



Aug. 24, 1954 H. E. CARTER 2,686,980

DISPLAY LAYOUT UNIT Filed Nov.` s. 1949 @f n @j 1N V EN TOR.

Merz/fyi.1 Caref;

MKM/WW W Patented Aug. 24, `1954 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY LAYOUT UNIT Henry E. Carter, Park Ridge, Ill. Application November 3, 1949, Serial No. 125,316

6 Claims.

The present invention pertains to` an" improved kit or unit adapted to assist in the making of pictorial layouts of various different arrangements of stationary equipment. It provides a readily manipulated device calling for the assembly of certain small scale models of, for example, items of kitchen cabinetwork, with like `models of equipment Yof a sort commonly associated with such cabinetwork, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges and the like, thereby to enable a visualization of the effect of various alternative arrangements or combinations of such equipment in a proposed installation.

In the merchandising of stationary interior equipment, domestic or otherwise, it is desirable to afford to the prospective purchaser some means for judging for himself, and in advance of purchase, the appearance of items of stationary interior equipment of the sort referred to above in their intended ultimate relation to one another in a domestic installation. The same is true of commercial installations of ofce equipment, such as filing cabinets, desks and the like. i The only type of pre-sale demonstration available, to my knowledge, involves the submitting of photographs, cuts, etc. of each and every arrangement. It is obviously preferable to employ a method of presentation which permits various relative arrangements of the items of equipment, with reference to one another, to be selectively made by the prospective purchaser or salesman, using similar preformed and printed pieces or model elements of tangible character, each representingone of the various articles of equipment. In the use of a collection of such individual model pieces it is also desirable to provide some means for retaining the same in a desired, close and preferably intertted edge-to-edge relationship, resistant to accidental displacement, yet which permits ready shifting of the pieces into and out of desired position with reference to one another. The present invention affords a simple, very inexpensive device or unit for the foregoing purposes which is attractive both to the eye and to the imagination.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved display layout unit of the type referred to employing a plurality of prepared at pieces which are specially shaped on their marginal edges for intertting juxtaposition thereof in jigsaw fashion. each of which pieces is imprinted to` of the desired relationship, and in which said pieces and plate are magnetically attractive for the purpose of holding the former in the desired intertted relation.

A still further object is to provide a unit of the sort referred to in which the magnetic attraction of the pieces and plate is preferably accomplished by the association with each piece of a suitable, flat, disk-like magnet element, internally laminated in the sheet-like construction of the piece and'attractive to a plate of magnetic material.

It is a still further specific object of the invention to provide a layout unit of the type referred to above, which includes a plurality of multi-ply pieces which are specially shaped for juxtaposed, intertted or interlocked edge-to-edge enga-gement with one another, in which eac-h of said pieces has an element of magnetic material laminated in the multi-ply construction thereof and in which the element is introduced internally of the piece in a novel manner during the lamination of the constituent plies thereof.

It is a further object of the inventionto provide an improved method for fabricating the laminated magnetic pieces referred to above.

The foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention, butother and more specific objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction and operation of the device.

One embodiment of the invention is presented herein for the purpose of illustration, but it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible of incorporation in other modified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the unit of the present invention, together with a combined carrying case and filing cabinet with which the unit is associated in an actual commercial adaptation thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical cross section through the installation of Fig. l, further illustrating the size and positional relationship of various parts thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view illustrating the backing plate of the unit and various of theintertting pieces which are adapted to bemanipulated on said plate in the use of the unit, this view showing a typical arrangement of certain pieces to depict a desired tentative layout of kitchen cabinetwork and equipment;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective, and in magnied scale as compared to Figs. l, 2 and 3, illustrating the component parts of the laminated pieces which go to make up the unit, also indicating the improved method of fabrication of said pieces; and

Fig. 5 is a View in vertical cross section illustrating further the laminated construction of the respective magnetic pieces.

In the drawings, the reference numeral it] in general designates a portable display layout kit according to the invention, including a compartmentized filing or storage cabinet ll having a side closure panel. l2 appropriately hinged to one side. of the bottom thereof. Suitable snap catcheslS hold'y the closure in closedrelation to the cabinet section Il, in the manner of `an ordinary sample case, and a handle ld enables the kit to be lifted andtransported readily.

The reference numeral ltdesignates the improved display layout unit of. the invention, consisting generally of av :dat rectangular backing plate .It of, magnetic ferrous metal' and a plurality of specially shaped, selectively interfittable, magnetically charged` pieces l'i of laminatedfibrous sheet construction,.as will be described. The relationship is reversible with regard to which of the parts, `pieces or plate is magnetically charged, under the broadest View of the invention.

vThe pieces I1 areprovided, preferably on both exposed, upper and lower surfaces thereof, with representations of different well known articles of fixedv interior equipment. Although in the illustratedembodiment of the invention the pieces represent articles of kitchen equipment, such .as various types of floor andwall cabinetwork, different types or sizes of ranges, sinks of different type or manufacture, refrigerators, dishwashing machines, deepfreeze cabinets, etc., the invention may be employed inlikemanner for layout work .involvingother than a domestic installation. They, aresupplied in a considerable number and .in .suiiicient variety to .afford a relatively wideselectionto the user, with the View of enabling him toV assemble a layouty of the different pieces in a jigsaw fashion to visualize several different arrangements of the equipment. When not in use these pieces are filed in the cabinetsection Il of the kit, the compartments of which may be specially identified by tabs for the reception of the various sorts of individual pieces Il, Il an-d l1. The last two are different shapes employed, as later described.

The backing plate I6 may be provided with a collapsible supporting leg or brace i8' hinged thereto at its horizontal margin. This brace is adapted to be disposed in the operative position illustrated in Fig. 2 to support the plate l5 at a convenient, tilted angle within the rim of the closure section I2, or to be collapsed and housed within the section l2 when the latter is closed relative to the cabinet-section l l. However, t'hese bracing provisions are notan essential of the invention and may be omitted.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, the plate i6 is ofrectangular outline, being of any desired size, say 2 x 21/2 in a typical installation. As

stated, it is of magnetic material, preferably a relatively light gauge of steel. It isV preferably provided with. anv attractive painted or lacquered top surface. This is shown as being in a plain finish or color, although ornamental decoration thereof is in order, if desired.

The magnetic pieces Il, I1' are formed of laminated paperboard stock and are specially shaped at two opposed edges for intertting, close edgetc-edge juxtaposed engagement with one another. For purposes of illustration, Ihave indicated the provision of a laterally extending ear I9 at one corner of each piece and a similarly shaped recess 2t at the corresponding opposite ear. It should be understood that pieces are imprinted on both sides thereof and may be employed interchangeably regardless of which side faces up, as illustrated in Fig. 4. A specially shaped corner or :ey piece, designated l1, is employed to enable the respective reversible pieces Il, I1 to be arranged in. combination tosimulate. the appearance of both of two adjoining sides of a room. All pieces Il, il and. l1 are alike structurally.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, the pieces IT' are vof multiple thickness, laminated construction, `comprising top and bottom cover or finish sheets 2l, an interposed'lter sheet 23 of relatively stiff paperboard stock, andv a disk-like permanent magnet element 24 which is received in a correspondingly shaped, punched out hole 25 in the filler 23; it being understood that one of these elements. is associated with each of the pieces il'. Thus in completed form the pieces may be dropped on the metal' plate Iii or shifted to any position thereon and will retain that position, being resistant to normal accidental displacement. As pointed out above, sheets 2l, 22 are appropriately printed or decorated inv simulation ofthe di'erenttypes of equipment or cabinetwork which it is desired to depict inthe assembled'relation.

A typical arrangement of kitchen equipment is illustrated in Fig. 3,' arrived at by the selection and interfitting ofv the shaped pieces. This vrepresentation of the ultimate appearance of one possible kitchen arrangement may obviously be altered in accordance with the needs or taste of the prospective purchaser by selecting and arranging other pieces lil from the store housed in the cabinet section il of the kit l0. When fitted in place on backing plate I6, the magnetic attraction between the pieces and plate holds the former against displacement from the selected relationship. As also indicated in Fig.,3, the various pieces may be of `different sizes, refleeting the difference in size of the articles shown thereon, so long as the keying or interfitting elements it' and 26 are of `like size and shape to permit the desired'. and optional juxtaposition of any of the pieces.

The invention also contemplates an improved method for manufacturing interttable magnetized pieces of the above character, `whichm'ethod is illustrated in Fig. 4. Two strips 2S, 21 of a suitable grade of paper stock, previously imprinted on opposite sides thereof, are fed longitudinally and in vertical alignment with one another. A third intervening strip 2S of ilexible paperboard stock is fed concurrently with and parallel to the strips 26, 2l. The paper.- board strip 2B is brought into Contact with and adhesively securedto-the lowermost paper strip 2l, after which the preshaped, premagnetized disks 24 are successively dropped into the preformed circular holesv 25l in the intermediate strip 28. The uppermost printed strip 26;,is then adhesively laminated onto thestrip 23` and the thus built-up triple-ply web is fedzthrough a cutter by which it is cut at 29 into the individual pieces I1 having the specially shaped, opposed, interiitting edges previously described. A number of elongated strips may be produced in this fashion and separated from one another by longitudinally slitting along parallel lines. The pieces Il are individually cut off into lengths as determined by the particular representation appearing thereon.

It is evident that by the use of the above described kit many different layouts of kitchen or oii'ice equipment, domestic or commercial furniture and/ or equipment arrangements, etc., are feasible. This type of visual demonstration is easily manipulated and undoubtedly serves to promote sales of manufactured goods or services.

It should be noted that the representations of equipment on the various pieces Il, Il', Il are isometric Views. Accordingly the pieces may be similarly imprinted on both sides, as illustrated particularly by the two individual loose pieces appearing in Fig. 3, and may be intertted, either side up, with other pieces in the combined arrangement (also shoWn in Fig. 3) to simulate the appearance of equipment extending along any or all four of the adjoining sides of a room or space. Each piece is usable interchangeably as to its relationship to other pieces in this regard.

I claim:

1. A display layout device comprising a platelike backing member and a set of flat, sheetlike model pieces selectively positionable flatwise upon said member, said pieces having on a surface thereof an isometric, three-dimensional representation of an object Whose outline is partially deiined by and coincides with a pair of opposed side edges of the piece, said edges being of identical, non-rectilinear outline and having like orientation relative to the piece, `so that corresponding increments of their respective lengths are parallel, one edge of a given piece being snugly interiittable with the other edge of other pieces when selectively positioned on said backing member to afford a continuous, composite representation of a number'of different objects disposed in any one of several optional side-byside arrangements.

2. A display layout device comprising a platelike backing member and a set of flat, sheetlike model pieces selectively and reversibly positionable flatwise upon` said member, said pieces having on each of the opposite surfaces thereof an isometric, three-dimensional representation of an object whose outline is partially deiined by and coincides with a pair of opposed side edges of the piece, said edges being of identical, nonrectilinear outline and having like orientation relative to the piece, so that corresponding increments of their respective lengths are parallel, one edge of a given piece being snugly internttable with the other edge of other pieces when selectively positioned on said backing member to alford a continuous, composite representation of a number of different objects disposed in any one of several optional side-by-side arrangements.

3. A display layout device comprising a set of flat, sheet-like model pieces, said pieces having on a surface thereof an isometric, threedimensional representation of an object Whose outline is partially defined by and coincides with a pair of opposed side edges of the piece, said edges being of identical, non-rectilinear outline and having like orientation relative to the piece,

so that corresponding increments of their respective lengths are parallel, one edge of a given. piece being snugly interittable with the other edge of other pieces to afford a continuous, composite representation of a number of different objects disposed in any one of several optional side-by-side arrangements.

4. A display layout device comprising a set of flat, sheet-like model pieces, said pieces having on each of the opposite surfaces thereof an isometric, three-dimensional representation of an object whose outline is partially deiined by and coincides with a pair of opposed side edges of the piece, said edges being of identical, nonrectilinear outline and having like orientation relative to the piece, so that corresponding inerements of their respective lengths are parallel, one edge of a given piece being snugly interttable with the other edge of other pieces to afford a continuous, composite representation of a number of different objects disposed in any one of several optional side-by-side arrangements, including arrangements produced by reversing surfaces of one or more pieces.

5. A model piece for a display layout device, adapted to be slightly associated in side-by-side, interlitted relation with one or more generally similar model pieces to afford a continuous, composite representation of a number of different objects disposed in one of several optional sideby-side arrangements, said piece comprising a flat, sheet-like member having on a surface thereof an isometric, three-dimensional representation of an object Whose outline is partially defined by and coincides with a pair of opposed side edges of said member, said edges being of identical, non-rectilinear outline and having like orientation relative to the member, so that corresponding increments of their respective lengths are parallel, whereby one edge of said piece is snugly interttable With the other edge of another piece.

6. A model piece for a display layout device, adapted to be slightly associated in side-by-side, intertted relation with one or more generally similar model pieces to afford a continuous, composite representation of a number of different objects disposed in one of several optional sideby-side arrangements, said piece comprising a flat, sheet-like member having on each of the opposite surfaces thereof an isometric, three-dimensional representation of an object whose outline is partially defined by and coincides with a pair of opposed side edges of said member, said edges being df identical, non-rectilinear outline and having like orientation relative to the member, so that corresponding increments of their respective lengths are parallel., whereby one edge of said piece is snugly interttable with the other edge of another piece, said piece being positionable on a supporting surface with either of said surfaces exposed, thereby to increase the variety of composite representations available when associated with other pieces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 618,969 Williams Feb. 7, 1899 1,537,688 Olson et a1. May 12, 1925 2,254,498 Scharf c Sept. 2, 1941 2,254,810 Will Sept. 2, 1941 2,317,124 Adams Apr. 20, 1943 2,363,914 Wakefield Nov. 28, 1944 2,405,808 Armbright Aug. 13, 1946 

